Japanese name: ツクシショウジョウバカマ（筑紫猩猩袴） Scientific name:Helonias breviscapa
[Overview]
An evergreen perennial growing in slightly moist places in deciduous forests on low mountains and in secondary woods in lowlands.
It produces many basal leaves in a rosette.
The leaves are oblanceolate, about 7–15 cm long, rather thin in texture, and the leaf margin often has fine wavy teeth.
A short raceme is borne at the tip of a flower stalk 10–30 cm tall rising from the center of the leaves, and 3–5 flowers hang sideways to downward.
The flowers are white to very pale pink, later turning pale green.
There are 6 tepals, obovate-oblong and about 1 cm long, not swollen at the base.
There are 6 stamens.
The fruit is a capsule.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by division.
It prefers partial shade and a well-drained place, and dislikes strong sunlight and dryness.
For plants in the ground, it is best planted under deciduous trees.
Take care not to let it run short of water; for potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries, and for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless sunny weather continues and the soil dries out.
From spring to autumn, apply diluted liquid fertilizer once every 1–2 weeks.
There are no particular pests or diseases, but aphids may occur.
